the love between a mother and a father
by lostyuki
Summary: accidently deleted and reposted. inuyasha dies and kagome convinces sesshomaru to save him by agreeing to live with him and raise rin
1. Chapter 1

"Now Die!" Kagome shouted as she released her purifying arrow at Naraku. Naraku crumbled, and the shards of the sacred jewel that he possessed tumbled to her feet.

Kagome numbly picked it up before rushing to Inuyasha, who had been run through the heart with one of Naraku's deadly tentacles. Her hand fell to his neck, searching in vain for what she knew was not there. There was no pulse. Inuyasha was dead.

Broken sobs wrenched themselves unforgivingly from her throat as she clung to his chest. "I love you Inuyasha, I will always love you" she sobbed into him. Kikyou, who had been standing near, watching the display impassively, turned to walk away. She had nothing to say to the man she claimed to love.

The Lord of the Western Lands watched the girl weep over his half-brother with mild interest. The fact that this weak, pathetic human was displaying affection over his utter disgrace of a brother made him want to hurl, but taking into account that this weak, pathetic human had just single handedly defeated Naraku, he felt it would be in his own personal interest to keep his opinions to his self. He was, of course, far stronger than Naraku _ever_ was, but I don't care who you are, an arrow to the heart _hurts._

At that moment Kagome chose to look up into the eyes of the Demon Lord. She looked at him in wonder.

"Se-Sesh-Sesshomaru" she whispered "can, can you save him? With the Tenseiga?" she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes "please" she trailed off

"No." he answered abruptly "I will not restore the life of a fool" _she defeated Naraku…_

"If you do" she said, her voice gaining in strength "I will give you the wish of the sacred jewel"

"I don't need it" said Sesshomaru, turning away. _She did it her self, she did what I could not… _

"What do you need?! I'll give you anything I can, please…" she was begging now, pleading, hell she was desperate.

For reasons unknown to him, Sesshomaru couldn't resist her eyes. "my ward," he started slowly "needs a mother. If you will come to my palace and stay as her mother, I will heal him."

Kagome was ecstatic "YES! I mean yes, of course I will. Thank you Sesshomaru, thank you so much" she couldn't believe that he would heal Inuyasha! she was so happy.

Kohaku appeared in the clearing

"Step aside Priestess" said Sesshomaru. And she did

Sesshomaru could see the messengers from hell preparing Inuyasha's body, and in one smooth sweep, they were all slain, and fairly confused when they entered hell themselves.

Inuyasha started breathing again, though it would probably be days before he woke.

Kagome lovingly brushed the stray hairs off of his face when Kohaku decided to make his presence known.

He cleared his throat and took his chain sickle, looked Kagome in the eyes "tell my sister that I remember her and I am sorry. I love her." And without another word, he took his boomerang and stabbed out his jewel shard.

His lifeless corpse crumpled to the ground

Sesshomaru smelt the girl's tears before she shed them. In two strides he had closed the distance between himself and Kohaku's corpse, and before Kagome had time to blink the tears from her eyes, three more of the messengers from hell were making bewildered excuses to St Peter.

She took the last jewel shard (the one that Kohaku had, Kouga had given her his earlier) and held it in her hands with the others as she prayed. The jewel became one.

She looked at him with a slightly sad expression "I'm not going to come back here for a long time am I?" Kagome asked

Sesshomaru stared at her

"No"

Kagome smiled and whispered "my wish on the sacred jewel is this. I wish Kikyou was alive."

Sesshomaru shot Kagome a very puzzled look. Understanding, Kagome said "I love Inuyasha, I want him to be happy." Then she stared blankly at Inuyasha and said:

Love is patient; love is kind  
and envies no one.  
Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;  
never selfish, not quick to take offense.  
love accepts all things, believes all things,

and endures all things.

Love never fails.  
In this world, there are three things  
that last forever: faith, hope, and love;  
but the greatest of them all is love."

"I am ready to go now" she said

And they did.


	2. Chapter 2

The western lands loomed ahead of Kagome and Sesshomaru. Kagome, who had spent the better part of 3 years riding on Inuyasha's back, was in awe of the speed his brother could travel. It had been a trip that would have taken hours with Inuyasha, and four minutes after leaving Inuyasha's forest Sesshomaru was landing on the terrace of the Western Lands. Kagome gasped.

He heard the priestess gasp. He _knew _he was fast. And it pleased him that the girl acknowledged his speed. _Probably comparing it to the hanyou_ he thought. for some reason, that pleased him. Many things were pleasing him today, like the way that this _Kagome _had clung to him the whole journey. _Not that I have any feelings for her _he thought to himself. He sniffed the air lightly and what he smelled pleased him "Rin is coming" He said

The young girl bounced towards them. She bowed low to lord Sesshomaru, before greeting him shyly "Rin is happy you are back, Sesshomaru-sama" Rin then looked at the woman who had been carried here by her lord. "Lady Kagome!" Rin shrieked, flinging herself into Kagome's arms.

"He-ey Rin" the priestess giggled, holding the bubbly child in her arms. "I'm so glad Kagome is here!" exclaimed Rin happily "are you here to play with Rin?" Kagome smiled good-naturedly at the child.

"Close Rin," Kagome said "I'm going to _stay _with you, forever" poking the adorable little girl on the nose Kagome asked "is that ok with you?"

Rin looked awed "oh YES! Yes lady Kagome yes! Stay and play forever." Then Rin looked puzzled. "Why are you staying Kagome? Are you in love with Sesshomaru?"

Kagome was mortified at this, but tried to hide it "whah-ah- no, Rin, I'm here to be your mother" she said smiling, and fighting down a blush.

Sesshomaru sensed Kagome's discomfort. He looked at her with his blank stare. Then cast his gaze back at Rin.

The girl looked genuinely confused "mo-th-er?" She sounded out the word unsure of its meaning "who is mother?" Kagome looked at her with soft eyes "Rin, she said sadly, you don't know what a mother is" the girl shook her head no

"A mother is… well," Kagome struggled for words "a mother is someone who is there for you, who protects you, who picks you up when you fall down and kisses you where you are hurt. A mother is a teacher, a friend, and a shoulder to cry on. And a mother will love unconditionally" she then smiled sheepishly at Rin. " please Rin, call me mama."

Rin was crying. Kagome--- mama would love her. Mama would care for her. And mama wasn't leaving. "do you…do you mean it?" she asked

"Yes." Said Kagome

Rin flung herself in Kagome's arms for a second time. "Rin" asked Kagome "can you show me where I can take a bath?"

Rin grinned and took Kagome by the hand and led her to Sesshomaru's bath house.

Sesshomaru was sick of Naraku's sent on his clothes. And for unknown reasons it infuriated him to smell it on the priestess. He called a servant and ordered them to take Kagome's clothes while she and Rin were bathing. When the servant returned he gave her his clothes, with orders to burn them. Then he gave her a spare outer haori to leave in Kagome's clothes place.

Kagome finished bating Rin. It was getting late and the young girl was tiring. Kagome grabbed Rin's clothes and dressed her. She then grabbed her cl…Sesshomaru's hakima.

Kagome slipped it on for lack of better clothing. _ Oo! Its soft! _ She thought while brushing Rin's hair and teeth. _ Why did he take my clothes though_ she thought angrily.

After tucking Rin in bed, kissing her goodnight, and rubbing her back until she fell asleep, Kagome stormed into Sesshomaru's library. The second she spotted Sesshomaru, she let him have it. "why did you take my clothes!" she yelled "I am not your property, and I will wear whatever I want. Ill raise your daughter, but you don't own me!" she finished, out of breath

"besides," she said softly and with her eyes downcast "people are giving me funny looks because I'm wearing your clothes, I think they think something happened" she said the last part so softly that even with his demonic hearing, he had to strain to catch the last word.

He thought she looked amusing, his haori coming to her ankles, the sleeves, rolled up four times, still rendered her hands useless.

"You smelled of Naraku" he said simply, with out emotion.

"well I could have washed them!! What the hell did you do with them!!" she yelled again

He looked at her hard "I had them burned" he said flatly "I will be sending for a tailor soon, and as for what the servants think. They are beneath you."

He walked away

Kagome stood there with her mouth open. "he …burned my …CLOTHES!!!!"


End file.
